Daily Struggles Only Old People Will Understand

Stiff Joints

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As the years continue to tick by there are many seniors who begin to become all to familiar with the unfortunate feeling of stiff joints. Things that used to be so easy for them might now cause them a lot of trouble and some pain. Things like getting out of bed can now be an issue thanks to them creaking hips and dodgy knees so all their movements have to be carefully done in order to avoid any discomfort.Original content sourced from Quizzable.com

Limited Mobility

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Similarly to the feeling of stiff joints being a newfound problem for elderly people, they may also struggle to get around as easily as they used too. Tasks that might have once been taken for granted may now cause a lot more challenges than they might expect. Things like stairs or steeper areas of land could now result in an them being unable to reach certain places that they might want to go without help.

Managing Medication

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Now, there are obviously some of us out there who are already used to taking medication regularly throughout our lives but this can step up to a whole other level as the years rush by. They will probably have one of those pill organisers which might become one of their most useful companions. It can be incredibly difficult to remember the dosages and refill schedules that become necessary to keep them healthy.

Memory Loss

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This is perhaps one of the saddest things that can happen to someone as they grow older, but a whole lifetime of memories can begin to unravel as they have to contend with the unfortunate phenomenon of memory loss. These issues can cause people to forget everything from the names of their loved ones through to some of their most cherished stories like wedding days or people's birthdays.

Loss Of Hearing

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It isn't just a person's memory that can begin to fade as they grow older, but they can also begin to suffer issues with their hearing too. This can also be quite depressing and terrifying for people as life can become a much duller version of itself. Many people might end up having to learn new ways to communicate like lip-reading or adapting via the use of hearing aids.

Problems With Vision

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It's only right to continue talking about some of the other issues an elderly person might begin struggling with; vision is another problem that can often result in the need for glasses or in some cases permanent blindness. You might be heading over to visit to the optometrist more frequently or in some cases they may have to generally accept that their life won't be the same again!

Struggling With Technology

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As we're all aware, technology is continuing to develop day by day, year by year. This might be great for some of us, but for others, particularly the older people in our communities, it isn't. Phones used to be so simple, but these days it's turned into a unnecessary and complicated dance of swiping and tapping a screen which can be quite a confusing task for elderly people to get the hang of.

Feeling Lonely

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Throughout our lives, most of us try anything we can to make sure that we won't end up alone in the future, whether that be our friends, families or partners. The problem with getting older is that things can change, people might move away and their lives may develop differently to the way yours can. The best way to combat this is by attending shared activities or engaging with the community as best they can.

Losing Their Independence

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Growing older can be so insightful, but on the other side of that hand it can be quite bittersweet as you begin to realise that your independence is beginning to turn in on itself. Simple tasks that old people might have taken for granted like shopping for groceries might become a group task instead of something they can do alone. The best thing anyone can do is embrace the fact that they're with others.

Insomnia

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This is something that many people don't actually realise becomes more of a problem with age, but spending hours at night trying to struggle for sleep can become all too common. The hours can stretch and stretch like never before and endless thoughts can run through the heads of anyone. The best way to tackle problems like this is to embrace things like books or meditation techniques.

Feeling Tired Easier

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Nothing beats staying awake so late as a youngster, it feels like you're getting more and more out of your day; this feeling of excitement quickly disappears as people grow older and tiredness appears much MUCH quicker. Instead of rushing through the day, now we can end up needing some additional breaks at intervals during the day to avoid the feeling of burning out too quickly.

Incontinence

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As you've probably worked out, the body can begin to deteriorate in terms of the way it coordinates itself. Aspects of people's lives that always went perfectly might begin to cause problems and unfortunately this includes incontinence. This might be a little embarrassing but if they can manage to embrace this vulnerability with some grace (and a strong sense of humor) it can be okay.

Driving Difficulties

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Issues like problems with vision or hand coordination can ultimately render a person unable to drive again, especially if they've caused or nearly been part of an accident when behind the wheel. Unfortunately reflexes won't be what they once were when it comes to the elderly and they will have to quickly convert from being the one behind the wheel to being the one in the passenger seat instead.

Constraints On Finance

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Although many people spend a lot of their lives saving money and paying into pensions to ensure that they are able to live their golden years to the maximum potential, it doesn't always work out that way. People have to become a lot better at budgeting their income to make sure they don't run into any particular financial problems in the long run without the option of going back in to employment.

Losing Loved Ones

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I mentioned before that the elderly can begin to feel lonely as they continue to rush through the years and one of the most painful reasons for this happening is by losing their loved ones. If there's one thing we'd all wish for, it'd be to never have to lose someone we loved again, but as an elderly person this problem can become a truly upsetting and all to common occurrence.

Adjusting To Retirement

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It can come as quite a shock when you finally have to go from spending your entire life rushing around for work to retiring and finding yourself with very little to actually do. Your entire daily schedule has to change and your purpose in life can often come into question. But ultimately, this is your chance to enjoy life, discover or explore new passions and hobbies and ultimately, chill out.

Cooking Their Meals

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There are a number of things that can become more and more difficult with increasing age and one of these problems are people's abilities to get in the kitchen and cook their own foods. Limitations like their tiredness or coordination might end up with them having to lessen their cooking times or find simplified methods or recipes so they can continue enjoying their meals.

Eating Certain Foods

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Not only might old people struggle to get in the kitchen to cook their own foods, they can also end up having to adapt the foods they actually eat anyway. This can be as a result of their need to avoid foods for dietary or medical conditions or in the case of some people, they physically can't chew the tougher foods like meats anymore. Make the most of the good food you can get whilst you can.

Regular Medical Appointments

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One of the most commonly recognised issues that someone passing through the golden years have to go through is an increased number of medical appointments. Doctor's visits and check-ups can become more of a weekly occurrence than something that just happens when you're ill and there'll be more medical appointments on your calendars than any other form of social activity.

Household Chores

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Let's be honest, none of us want to complete any household chores at any age, from our childhood in to the golden years. In fact, this shouldn't be seen as a problem, the older generation should be very happy that they don't have to struggle with brushing or the boring jobs ever again. Turn to your loved ones (and don't let them know you're happy about them doing your jobs for you!).

Keeping Active

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There are some of us who can't go a day without being active in some form or another, whilst there are groups of people who don't exercise at all. As an elderly person, your ability to engage in physical activities can become a lot more complicated and you need to be very cautious. You might have to turn to taking some more leisurely walks or picking up a sport that doesn't require too much movement.

Confused By The Modern Language

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You might not realise so much, but the English language (and all other languages around the world) are constantly evolving to include a whole array of new words. Slang, abbreviations and colloquialisms are becoming increasingly popular, especially with the huge use of social media apps. Honestly, imagine being old and having someone come up to you and say phrases like YOLO or using hashtags to communicate with you.

Sensitivity To The Cold

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As someone grows old they can become increasingly susceptible to developing problems as a result of the weather, particularly in extreme cold temperatures. They will be much more sensitive to the cold and everyday in the winter can feel like an uphill battle to keep themselves warm and healthy. Embrace the need to cocoon in a blanket or in bed for a little longer in the winter!

Too Many Entertainment Choices

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Entertainment in the current day and age is completely different to the way it was 50 years ago and in a further 50 years we'll be saying the exact same things ourselves. Entertainment trends used to be very simple, it was basically TV or Radio at home, but now we have a whole labyrinth of choices that can lead to the elderly being stuck for choice with what it is they want to watch.

Looking After The Grandkids

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Although there can be very little that brings grandparents more love and joy than looking after their grandchildren, that doesn't mean that the role can be just as challenging as it is enjoyable. As they grow older you'll be tasked with being a character of authority in their lives whilst also ensuring that you relish the moments you have with grandchildren whilst imparting all the wisdom you can.

Cluttered Homespaces

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I'm sure there are many of you reading this who are looking at rooms cluttered with stuff that you probably don't need or don't know why you have. Well as you grow older, you might begin to realised that you've accumulated a load more rubbish than it's probably worth. Even the decluttering process can be troublesome as everything might seem to have some form of value to someone.

Diminished Sense Of Smell

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Like many of the other senses, smell can also begin to disappear as someone grows older. Scents you might love to have roaming around your home may become useless and you might not be able to get them ever again. However, no matter what happens to your sense of smell, you probably want to ensure that you're still using something to keep your home smelling okay!

Slowing Mental Speed

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The cognitive decline that can occur as an elderly person can be one of the most horrifying things to think about as a younger adult. The mind ultimately slows as it grows older and are thoughts or memories might come to us a little slower than they used to. The only thing you can do at this point is try to understand that there's very little you can do to tackle this sort of problem.

Living In Care

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Being taken away from your own home, especially if you've lived in the same place for a long time can be quite a distressing thought, but for many of us, it will become necessary to have permanent care. Your routines can become different and this new chapter of life in care might be quite challenging for someone to deal with. Think of it as an opportunity to meet new people at least.

Accessibility Problems

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The world isn't necessarily built to accommodate for older individuals or people with accessibility issues and whilst some places have done their best to help out, that isn't possible everywhere you go. If you find yourself needing a wheelchair or the use of a walking aid you might have to plan your trip specifically or find some more inventive ways to get about in a much easier fashion.